Food: What's the Beef?

Updated Aug. 26, 1999 12:01 a.m. ET

W hat would you like with your burger, monsieur ? These days, the French are offering fruit, vegetables -- and manure. Farmers have been dumping tons of the stuff outside branches of the McDonald's hamburger chain in towns in southern France to protest American tariffs on French goods. One restaurant was occupied, another was badly damaged. Protests are continuing, with a demonstration in Montpelier scheduled for next Tuesday.

The 100% import tariffs, on such products as pate de foie gras, cheese, mustard and truffles,...